


He Didn't Have to Be

by pebbles403



Series: Unfaithfully [14]
Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Talk of adoption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 20:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9511184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pebbles403/pseuds/pebbles403
Summary: Lacie's children finally ask the question that she has been dreading. How will she and Patrick handle it?





	

When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new... 

The day that Lacie had been dreading had finally come. Max and Prue had finally done it. They had asked about Caleb. She was currently at work trying to figure out what to tell them. When they had asked, she had changed the topic quickly, but she knew they would ask again, though. They were smart kids, and she knew that they would understand everything, but it still wasn't going to make the situation any easier. She just felt like hearing about Caleb not wanting them would hurt too much. She never wanted to make them feel like they weren't wanted. On the bright side, though, Patrick had stepped up and became a father for her kids in the last year. He was already an excellent father to Declan, and it was second nature for him to treat her kids exactly the same. His dedication to them astounded her. She had never expected to meet a man so willing to accept responsibility for her children. He loved her kids just as much as she did and vice versa. She loved Declan as if he were her own child. 

Sighing in frustration, she clocked out for the say and said goodbye to her relief as she headed out of the shop. She needed to talk to someone and Billie was out of the question. She and Andy were off on their honeymoon, and she was not going to disturb them. Patrick hadn't been able to help either. He didn't really know what to do. He wanted the kids to believe that he was their real father, but they already knew better. It was no use. They were going to have to hear the cold hard truth from their mother and she was in a state of near-constant dread from it. She had no clue how she was going to breach the subject of their deadbeat father to them without breaking their hearts. Goddamn Caleb and his bullshit! She was just so confused. 

The cold wind whipped around Patrick as he sat on the balcony smoking a cigarette. He was just as stressed as Lacie was. Prue and Max had finally asked about their birth father. He knew that it would happen at some point, but he had hoped that it wouldn't be for a few more years. Lacie had been dreading it, and honestly, she had been physically sick because of the unanswered question. He sighed as he crushed the cigarette out. He had no idea how he was going to help his girlfriend this time. 

Lacie hadn't realized that she had been driving in circles until she saw that she was in Pete and Meagan's driveway. Maybe they could give her the advice that she so desperately needed. She got out of the car and knocked on the door. Meagan answered with a smile. 

"Lacie! How are you?" She said, hugging the younger woman. 

"I've been better. Do you think that I could talk to you and Pete for a little bit? I need some advice." 

"Of course! Come on in." 

Lacie followed Meagan into the house and sat next to Pete at the bar in the kitchen. He put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders. 

"How's it going shorty?" 

"Bad. The kids asked about Caleb and I don’t know what to tell them. How do you tell your children that their birth father doesn't want anything to do with them?" She replied as tears welled up in her eyes. 

The couple looked at each other for a moment before Meagan sat down on the other side of Lacie and Pete disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes and came back with a hot cup of tea for Lacie. 

"Have you and Patrick talked about all of this?" 

"Yeah. He's just as conflicted as I am. I mean, he's the kids' dad, but they know he's not their birth father. I get that they're curious, but I know that this feels a little like a slap in the face to him. I know that the kids love him, but I understand the reasoning behind the questions. They want to know where they come from. I just-I just don't know what to do!" She wailed. 

Meagan wrapped her arms around Lacie and let her cry into her shoulder. "Honey, it's okay. They were bound to be curious someday." 

"B-but how am I going to break their little hearts? Caleb has never wanted anything to do with them. You four guys have been the only positive male role models that they've ever had." She said looking at Pete. 

He smiled. "Shorty, you're going to have to explain to them what happened between you and Caleb." 

"I don't want them to think that they're unwanted, though. I mean, yeah, they were an accident, but I wouldn't change anything at all. They are my life and I love them more than anything in this world. Knowing that you were unwanted is one of the worst feelings in the world." 

"I get what you're saying, but knowing that they have so many people who love and care for them will help with the truth. Just remind them that they are loved and wanted, even if that piece of shit sperm donor decided to be a fuck boy." 

Lacie chuckled a bit at Pete's words. She felt better now that she had spoken to him and Meagan. She thanked them for the advice and left to go home. She had to talk to Patrick before they sat the kids down and had this hard talk. 

Patrick and the kids had just gotten home. He still felt the sting of their questions, but he understood. The had a natural curiosity about Caleb. Thank god he and Elisa shared custody of Declan. He couldn't understand why someone would want to have nothing to do with their own children. Patrick couldn't imagine life without Declan or Prue or Max. He loved being a father. He was so grateful to Elisa for the shared custody of their son. He had done something despicable, but life had come full circle for him and he was happier than he had ever been before. He had a fantastic girlfriend, wonderful kids, and some of the best friends ever. Life truly was good. 

Lacie was hesitant to walk into the apartment. She heard Patrick helping Prue and Max with their homework, and it made her smile. He was a fantastic father. She knew what had to be done. With a heavy heart, she turned the knob and went inside. 

"Hi, mommy!" 

"Hey, babies. How was school?" 

"Great! I signed up for the spelling bee!" Max said excitedly. 

"And I got an 'A' on my math test!" Prue added. 

"That's great guys! Listen, I'm going to talk to daddy for a few minutes okay?" 

"Okay!" 

She led Patrick to their bedroom and sat down on the bed. He closed the door and sat beside her with a sigh. 

"So what are you going to tell them, Lace?" 

"The truth. They need to know about Caleb and how much of an asshole he is. They also need to understand that you love them and that you are their daddy." 

"I do love them. I love them just as much as I love Declan." 

"I know you do. That will help them deal with the Caleb thing a lot, but they're going to be hurt and upset about the truth." 

"Lacie, I've been thinking about something for a while now." 

"Okay." 

"I want to be the kid's father. Like for real. I want to adopt them. I can't imagine my life without you and them. I want them and you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I want them to know that they have a daddy, even if I'm not their biological father." 

"Trick, I-I don't know what to say." 

"Say yes. Let me adopt them. You know that I'll never do anything to hurt them or you." 

"I know. This is a big thing, Patrick. Are you sure?" 

"So sure that I already called my lawyer to draw up the papers." He replied smiling. 

She smiled and wrapped her arms around Patrick. They sat like that for a few more minutes before getting up and returning to the front room where the twins were finishing up their homework. Both children looked up when Patrick and Lacie sat down. 

"So guys, I know you've been asking about your birth father. I want to talk about it with you. Before I get into this, though, I want both of you to understand that Patrick and I love you so much more than you will every know okay?" They both nodded and Lacie took a deep breath as Patrick squeezed her hand. "So you both know that I was young when I had you. What you didn't know was that your birth father denied that you were his. I went through everything by myself. Well, I had your aunt Billie to help me, but Caleb, your birth father, was not around. When I told him that I was pregnant, he told me to leave him alone and never speak to him again. Even after you two were born, and I went to him in hopes that if he saw you that he would change his mind, he told me to leave again. He has never even seen you two. He wants nothing to do with you, which is why it's always just been us until I met Patrick. I've never thought that you two were a mistake. I love you and I would never change anything about you guys." 

"So he didn't want us?" Prue asked. 

"No baby, he didn't, but I always have. You're the best things to ever happen to me." 

"He's an asshole!" Max said angrily. 

Patrick tried to hold in his laughter but failed. "Max, don't say things like that." 

"Did I use the word wrong?" 

"Well, no, but you shouldn't say that. It's an adult word." 

"So it's true?" 

"Yes. It's true. I have one thing that you two can be happy about, though." 

"What's that?" Prue asked. 

"I love you and I want you." Patrick smiled at the two of them. 

"We love you too daddy." 

"We've got one more thing to tell you," Lacie said smiling. 

"I've talked to mommy and I asked her if I could adopt you." 

"What's adopt mean?" 

Patrick looked at them. "Well, Max, it means that I will be your real daddy. I want to be your real daddy. Do you want that?" 

Both children smiled and nodded rapidly. Lacie wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat. "Well, it won't take too long for him to be able to adopt you." 

"Yaaaaaay! We can't wait to be adopted!" 

"The tribe has spoken Trick. You need to call your lawyer and set up an appointment to finish the paperwork." 

Lacie had never seen Patrick smile as big as he was smiling now. He looked like his face would crack at any moment. 

Later that night, as the couple was laying in bed, they both were happy and content. 

"Trick?" 

"Yeah Lace?" 

"I love you." 

"I love you too." 

"I'm really glad the kids took all of this information in so well today. I was so worried that they would think that they were a mistake." 

"Sugar, they could never think that. You make sure that they feel loved and are happy, and I try my best to make sure they know that I'm always going to be here for you and them. Ever since we met, I've known that I needed you in my life, Lacie. We had a rough start, but I wouldn't trade a single day for anything." 

"You're so sweet Patrick." 

"You make me that way." He leaned over and kissed her gently. "I have a question for you Lacie." 

She looked at him. "Okay." 

He reached into his bedside table and sat up in the bed. "Well, I want you to understand just how much you mean to me. What I'm trying to say is, will you marry me?" He held the box out to her. She looked at the silver and opal ring inside and looked back at him with tears in her eyes. 

"Of course! Yes! I'll marry you, Patrick!" She flung herself into his arms. 

Patrick sighed as he lay with Lacie. There were a few moments of silence before he heard her giggling on his chest. "What's so funny sugar?" 

"I'm still in shock that Max used the word asshole correctly." She erupted into another fit of giggles. 

If this is what life was going to be like forever, then Patrick could get used to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Another fluffy chapter for you. Thank you to everyone who has been reading this and all of my works. The next chapter will not be fluffy I promise you.


End file.
